Areas of specialization include nineteenth-, twentieth-, and twenty-first century Russian and Soviet literature, gender studies, film and media, legal and business Russian language, translation, Slavic linguistics, contemporary Russian literature, scientific and scholarly Russian language, stylistics, and history of the Russian literary language. Other languages regularly offered through the Slavic department are Polish, Turkish, Persian, and Romanian. We also occasionally offer language courses in Ukrainian, BCS (Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian), and Georgian.
The Slavic Department offers Russian language courses from the introductory through the most advanced levels. The department encourages language proficiency through five-skill courses: reading, writing, speaking, listening comprehension, and culture acquisition.
A minimum of 10 courses in the department, 8 of which must be at the 100 level or above. All majors must take the following courses: RUS 63, 64, 101S, 102S, 195, 196 or equivalent. Each major is additionally required to take 4 courses, of which at least 3 primarily focus on works of Russian culture (oral and written poetry and prose, drama, music, film, visual arts). The department urges students to consider course work that would include at least one 200-level course.
The Slavic and Eurasian Studies (SES) major is administered by the Duke Slavic and Eurasian Studies Department. The major is designed to educate students about Slavic and Eurasian cultures - their interrelated histories and contemporary interactions -- so that students are prepared upon graduation to engage knowledgeably and productively in their professional careers or to pursue graduate study. This major also allows students to draw on the faculty strengths of the Slavic Department at UNC-Chapel Hill as well as the Middle Eastern/Islamic Studies programs at both universities, including the Duke Islamic Studies Center.
To earn a major in Slavic and Eurasian Studies, students must complete ten (10) courses, 8 of which must be at the 100 level or above.
Required courses are “Mapping Slavic and Eurasian Studies” (SES 101); a capstone seminar (SES 197S) in their junior or senior year, which includes a significant research component.
Further Requirements
Appropriate courses may come from a list of approved courses or may include other courses (new courses, special topics courses, independent study) with at least 50 percent course content in Slavic and Eurasian studies. To determine if specific courses meet requirements for the major, students should consult the DUS in the Slavic and Eurasian Studies Department (SES).
The SES Department regularly offers a Focus cluster, “Between Europe and Asia: Explorations in Culture, Law, and Cognitive Science,” in the fall semester and the two Focus seminars will count toward the Eurasian Studies major.
Students are encouraged to study abroad in a country that is related to the geographical area covered by the major.
To declare the major, students should officially declare their intention to major in Eurasian Studies through Academic Advising (first- and second-year students) or through the Registrar (juniors and seniors) and then contact the SES Department.
Russian Culture and Language: five courses, three of which must be at the 100 level or above. At least 2 courses must be in language.
Russian Literature in Translation: five courses, three of which must be at the 100 level or above.
Turkish Language and Culture requires that a student accumulate a total of five credits, three of which must be at the 100 level or above. Two of the five credits must be earned in courses taught in Turkish. Regional courses dealing with the Balkans, Eurasia, Islam, and/or the Middle East count toward the minor. A list of courses that qualify for the minor can be obtained from the Slavic and Eurasian Studies department or by emailing